Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-04-29

a. uih III AdhNJ hhO NNfo a N"N Sl'~
ashore during my last leave, and
then, somehow, memories of my
boyish days crept in.
"Suddeniy a curious sensation
came over me and utterly banished
all dreaming. 1 cannot tell you
what caused it, but a powerful feel
ing of terror Overcame me, and /
trembled like a palsied old man.
A great sense of a dread of some
thing terrible about to happen
seized me- something, knew not
what and 1 strove against it in
vain. | chung to the bridge-rail in
front, and tried to pull myself to-
gether, and ! grew calmer as the
low voices of some Of the men for
ward fell upon my ear.
"'ThompsOnp 1 called; and the
burly boatswain's mate came to-
ward me with the easy roll of a
seaman, and touching his cap,
said
"'Did We want me, Mr.. Brown ?
"'Everything right-the watch
awake p l asked.
"'Yes, sir; but it's pitch dark,
and we can't see five yards ahead.
Jim DixOn's for'ard.'
"'Take a look round YOURSELF l
replied.
"While the mate was gone, the
terrified feeling seemed to leave me,
and in its place an indehnable and
hazy but powerful impression gain
ed upon me that l must do some
thing, but what l could not make
out. You have no idea of the aw-
ful agony l was IN, and how l strove
to find out what it was that | now
felt impelled to do. My brain SEEM
ed on fire, my temple thrObbed as
though they would burst, and a
strange buzzing sounded in my
ears. l felt as if | was going mad,
and the thought of the great ship
IN charge of a mailman on the
bridge flashed across me. A wild
feeling, that it would be better to
throw myself overheard crept into
my soul, and 1 believe l did make
step oyer to the side, when a ray
of light broke in upon me. The
turmoil in my brain grew still, and
a voice distinctly said in my ear
"Stop the ship?
III looked round sharply left and
right, but there was not a creature
on the bridge except myself. l
leaned over and looked down onto
the deck, but it was deserted, 81
lent, and dark. even glazed alOft,
but of course saw nothing there ex'
cept gaunt yards and the slender
braces and lifts.
"sAlI right fore and aft, sir"
came Thompson's voice, and his
dusky form doomed out Of the
shadow.
"sWhat order did the Captain
give Just before you came upT |
asked. Not that I for a moment
thought that it was his voice which
I had heard, but l wanted to see if
the boatswain's mate noticed any
tbing.'
"'Order, sirf Why the cap'en be
turned in.'
"'But did not you hear some one
say "Stop the SHIP" lust as you got
to the ladder footP
"'No, sir, that III take my davy
on
every well, you may 60, but
mind you keep a sharp lookout
"'Ay, ay, sir" and the man
moved away.
81 felt inclined to laugh at myself
for an old woman, when a chilly
feeling crept once more upon me,
and something within me this time
earnestly said:
"Stop the shipp
al shook the feeling off, however,
and determined to give way no long
or to morbid fancies l lighted a pipe,
and began to pace briskly to and
fro, from port to starboard and star
boad to port. But, though all
traces of tear and terror vanished,
vet ever those words came ringing
in my ear, and the faster l walked
the more plainly heard
"'Stop the ship! Stop the ship ?
"Again l hailed the watch; 'All
right forwardl Can you see any
thing ahead p and I peered out in
to the darkness round.
WAll clear foT'ard, but we can't
see more than ten yards sang out
Thompson, suIlenly.
$50 once more I began my meas
ured tramp, but louder and louder
came the command in tones o.
frantic entreaty-
"'stop the ship Stop the ship
at was no use striving longer
l felt some potent influence force
me to the engine.room telegraph
/ seized the handle, and for a mo
ment paused as thought of thu
confusion and alarm which / wal
about to cause, and how angry thu
sleeping captain would be at my
daring to do such thing withOu
his orders. The next instant / rang
Easy ahead / felt the engine''
thrOb more slowly. Yet again
heard, almost madly-